Monolith

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A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument. Erosion usually exposes the geological formations, which are most often made of very hard and solid metamorphic or igneous rock.

The word derives from the Latin word monolithus from the Greek word μονόλιθος (monolithos), derived from μόνος ("one" or "single") and λίθος ("stone").

Contents 1 Geological monoliths 1.1 Africa 1.2 Antarctica 1.3 Asia 1.4 Australia 1.5 Europe 1.6 United States 1.7 Canada and Mexico 1.8 South America 2 Monumental monoliths 3 See also 4 Notes 5 External links

[edit] Geological monoliths

Several monoliths are claimed to be the largest on Earth, including the:

• Mount Augustus (Burringurrah), in Western Australia
• Stone Mountain, in Stone Mountain Park, Stone Mountain, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, USA
• Uluru (Ayers Rock), Northern Territory, Australia
• Pine Mountain, Victoria, Australia
• El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, California, United States
• Pao de Acucar, Brazil
• La Peña de Bernal, in Mexico, claims to be the second largest.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

These claims are rarely backed up by geological information and may be based upon a single dimension such as height or circumference. Height may be measured above sea level or the surrounding ground.

Other large, well-known monoliths include:

[edit] Africa

• Ben Amera, Mauritania
• Brandberg Mountain, Namibia
• Aso Rock, Nigeria
• Zuma Rock, Nigeria

[edit] Antarctica

• Scullin monolith
• Leargh Rock

[edit] Asia

• Savandurga
• Madhugiri Betta
• Gilbert Hill

[edit] Australia

• Bald Rock, near Tenterfield, New South Wales
• Mount Augustus (Burringurrah), in Western Australia
• Mount Coolum, Queensland
• Mount Wudinna, near Wudinna, South Australia
• Kokerbin Rock, Western Australia
• Uluru (Ayers Rock), Northern Territory, Australia

[edit] Europe

• Frau Holle Stone, near Fulda, Germany
• Humber Stone, Humberstone, near Leicester, England.
• King Arthur's Stone (Cornwall)
• Logan Rock (Trereen, Cornwall)
• Odin Stone (Stenhouse, Orkney; destroyed in 1814)
• Peñon de Ifach Calpe, Spain
• Rock of Gibraltar, Gibraltar

[edit] United States

• Beacon Rock, Columbia River Gorge, Washington, United States
• Bottleneck Peak and Moon, Sids Mountain, Utah, United States
• Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, United States
• El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, California, United States
• Enchanted Rock, Llano County, Texas, United States
• Haystack Rock, Clatsop County, Oregon, United States
• Looking Glass Rock, Transylvania County, North Carolina, United States
• Petroforms, Manitoba, Canada, Wisconsin, USA
• Stone Mountain, Stone Mountain, Georgia, United States

[edit] Canada and Mexico

This section requires expansion.

• Stawamus Chief, Squamish, British Columbia, Canada
• Peña de Bernal, Querétaro, Mexico

[edit] South America

• Torres del Paine, Chile
• Pao de Acucar, Brazil
• El Penol,Colombia

Many of these have legends attached.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Monumental monoliths

A structure which has been excavated as a unit from a surrounding matrix or outcropping of rock.^[5]

• Top stone on the Mausoleum of Theodoric, Ravenna
• Aztec calendar "Stone of the Sun"
• Stonehenge contains several
• Ellora Caves - UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Gomateswara or Lord Bahubali at Sravanabelagola, Karnataka
• Runestones
• Stone circle
• Standing stones
• Stelae
• Obelisks - see this article for a list
• Ogham Stone, Dingle Peninsula, Ireland
• Adam and Eve Stones, Avebury, Wiltshire, England
• Manzanar National Historic Landmark, USA
• Vijayanagara Empire#Architecture medieval South Indian carved examples

[edit] See also

• Megalith
• Monolithic architecture
• Monadnock (or inselberg)

[edit] Notes

1. ^ López Domínguez, Leonor (May 2001). "Villa de Bernal and its Magic Mountain". México Desconocido #291. http://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/contenidos/home.html?p=nota&idNota=8897. 
2. ^ "Peña de Bernal - Bernal - Queretaro" (in spanish). http://www.de-paseo.com/Bernal/Bernal.htm. Retrieved on 25 November 2008. 
3. ^ Cava Northrop, Laura; Dwight L. Curtis, Inc. Let'S Go, Natalie Sherman, Raul Carrillo (2007). Let's Go Mexico: On a Budget. Macmillan. p. 370. ISBN 9780312374525. 
4. ^ Escobar Ledesma, Agustín (1999). Recetario del semidesierto de Querétaro: Acoyos, rejalgares y tantarrias. Conaculta. p. 75. ISBN 9789701839102. 
5. ^ "Glossary". is a mountain that is made up of stone and clay. http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/india/glossary1.html#monolith. 

[edit] External links

• • Regarding Uluru/Ayers Rock and earlier representations of it as the largest monolith -
• http://www.ga.gov.au/education/facts/landforms/uluru.htm
• http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/moments/s1469595.htm
• http://www.wayoutback.com.au/uluru-geology.php